First time doing ball joints on my Buick Regal first generation W-Body. Ball Joints aren’t original.

[89-W-Body-Regal]

Hi I have a question. I have an 89 Regal and I need to know if I can install the ball joints with this tool set. It says it works with most GM cars and trucks. One of the adaptor should work for mine shouldn’t it? The Buick manual doesn’t say how you should install the ball joints only how to remove them. I already got the universal ball joint removal tool. As for installing them I need to know if this tool would work with the adaptors. I know hammering them in would damage them. Would this kit work for my application?

 

if not what adaptor kit would you use that has a C-clamp?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CB17N4SZ/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Edited Thursday at 06:19 PM by 89-W-Body-Regal

[Bake82]

You don't need a press or to hammer anything in.  

 

OEM are riveted into place, and you'd need to cut off the rivet heads, 

 

Aftermarkets are nut/bolted into place.  

 

So if they have been replaced before, then all you'll need is a pickle fork to seperate the balljoint from the control arm  and a socket set/wrenches.  

 

 

 

 

[White93z34]

if the balljoints have already been replaced once then you need basically zero special tools to do them on a 89'

loosen the nut on the bottom of the balljoint, smack the control arm with a hammer till it pops free. you might need a big ol balljoint fork to separate from the control arm

unscrew the 4 small bolts that hold it in, theres a dust shield that has a couple small fasteners then its out, replace and move on.

if its still original the job gets a bit more annoying and you have to drill rivets out

[Bake82]

1 minute ago, White93z34 said:

if the balljoints have already been replaced once then you need basically zero special tools to do them on a 89'

loosen the nut on the bottom of the balljoint, smack the control arm with a hammer till it pops free. you might need a big ol balljoint fork to separate from the control arm

unscrew the 4 small bolts that hold it in, theres a dust shield that has a couple small fasteners then its out, replace and move on.

if its still original the job gets a bit more annoying and you have to drill rivets out

Beat you to it! LOL.  

[89-W-Body-Regal]

Thank you guys. I Appreciate it greatly. I love this forum. 

Edited Thursday at 07:15 PM by 89-W-Body-Regal

[Schurkey]

While the previous advice will "work", I REALLY HATE hammering anything to separate the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle.  Pickleforks are almost as bad.  Hammering, or pickleforks both have the potential to damage the parts they're applying force to.

I've put ball joints into multiple vehicles--'66 Toronado, '68 El Camino, '88 K1500 6-lug, '97 K2500 8-lug, and '03 Trailblazer are the most-recent.  I have not put ball joints into my '92 and '93 Luminas, or '98 Monte Carlo, though.

I've been using a readily-available "Front End Service Set" that has various tools for separating tapered studs from tapered holes.   If you have access to slide one of these tools in place, they're a ZERO-DAMAGE method of popping the stud out of the hole.  My particular set came from NAPA, but the EXACT SAME tools are sold by Gearwrench and OTC; and lower-quality knockoffs are sold by dozens of other vendors.

 

[55trucker]

While I agree with you where using a hammer is concerned in this case it's not so bad, the ball joints are inverted, the tapered stud goes *down* thru the control arm & not the knuckle itself.

One doesn't strike the side of the knuckle at all.

Back off the 3 retaining nuts at the top of the front struts (don't remove them) , this will allow the strut to swing freely

Remove the ball joint cottter pin & retaining nuts....

When I'm doing these I 1st disconnect the anti-roll bar bushing saddle clamps to allow the lower control arm to swing down, not doing so restricts the free movement of the arms as the anti roll-bar will prevent the arms from pivoting freely.

Using a very long prybar wedged between the subframe and the inner portion of the arm I'll have a second set of hands pushing down on the prybar at the same time I use the pickle fork inserted between the ball joint stud and the top side of the lower control arm & one good smack usually frees the ball joint stud. Push down on the lever & swing the strut out of the way of the control arm.

Now you can do what you need to do to release the ball joints from the knuckle. Keep in mind that the axle shaft rzeppa boot may interfere to a degree with your access to the ball joints bolts on the top side of the knuckle stamping.

The new ball joints will have grease nipples, the nipples SHOULD point inward to either the rear or front direction of the car. When you install the new ball joints they install in one position only (you cannot reverse them), make sure you can get grease into the nipple freely.  

Don't get too aggressive when tightening up the new nuts & bolts, the supplied nuts SHOULD be cone lock nuts, if what you have are not then GET lock nuts, the fasteners SHOULD be a minimum of grade 5, these are very small, I prefer to use grade 8 fasteners for their better strength capabilities. The max torque on these small fasteners is in inch pounds (not foot pounds), grade 5- 85 inch pounds dry, grade 8- 120 inch pounds dry. Do not overtighten the nuts & bolts, you do not want to stretch & cause them to break.

After getting the ball joints fastened to the bottom of the knuckles you can reassemble everything.

 

 

 

 

Edited Friday at 03:28 PM by 55trucker

[rich_e777]

Take a pressure washer to remove all the greasy crud from everything down there first. Makes the job go so much better and at times, pleasant.

[White93z34]

Yeah given the design of the front end of these cars its not quite as easy as a modern once since the swaybar is actively holding the balljoint in the control arm.

I'd never use a pickle fork on a joint that I cared about reusing, its all but guaranteed to ruin the boot at minimum but for something that's already destined for the trash can, meh.  That said pick your own method, no real wrong answer you'll arrive at the same place regardless.